1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser for golf balls. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser and retriever for golf balls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many sporting games, it is commonly advantageous to practice repetitiously to improve one's game. The game of golf is no exception, and there have been many apparatus which are used to assist the golfer in improving the golfer's performance.
In the game of golf, an important aspect of the game is having an accurate putting stroke. It is advantageous when the golfer is practicing the putting stroke to repeatedly take many strokes hitting a ball and practicing the proper swing. Typically, the golfer practices by placing a plurality of golf balls on a putting green, which are repeatedly hit with a putter into holes positioned on the putting green, or on an artificial practice putting surface.
Typically, the golfer will take a handful of golf balls, such as six or seven, and place them all down on a putting surface. The golfer then putts them as a set attempting to sink them into each hole. At each hole, the golfer typically drops the balls onto the putting surface, and arranges them on the putting surface using the club head of the putter. The golfer then putts balls one at a time towards the hole. Eventually, all of the balls of the set have been hit toward and hopefully into the hole. The balls may then be removed from the hole.
Many putting greens include a retrieving cup connected to the end of a metal flag placed in the hole which can be used by the golfer to lift the balls out of the hole and place them again on the putting surface. Typically, the retrieving cup pulls the balls out of the hole and the balls spill from the cup onto the putting surface.
It is usually difficult, however, to use the retrieving cup to effectively pick the balls up off the ground. Thus, the golfer must arrange the golf balls on the putting surface either by gathering them together using the putter club head as a guide to move the golf balls into the desired position, or the golfer must bend over and reach down to place the golf balls as desired by hand.
In addition, if it is desired to start putting a set of balls from a different location, usually the golfer must bend over and individually pick up all of the balls and carry them to the new starting point for the next round of practice strokes using that set of golf balls. Also, for individual putts, the golfer must bend down to pick up the ball.
Numerous innovations for ball dispensers have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,092 to Watson teaches an apparatus for dispensing balls, for example, golf or tennis balls, comprising a magazine, which can be mounted to extend downwardly to receive a plurality of balls to be dispensed from the lower end thereof, a ball-dispensing structure having a first condition in which the lowermost ball is restrained in the magazine and a second condition in which the lowermost ball is released and another ball is restrained in the magazine. The ball-dispensing structure thereby being operable by change between its two conditions to dispense at least the lowermost ball while restraining at least one other ball in the magazine.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,397 to Hoffmeister teaches a device used by an individual on a practice tee or similar device for the convenient placement of golf balls on a practice tee and the retrieval or pick-up of balls on and around a practice tee. The device allows for ease in carrying and is free-standing. The device allows for the storage of multiple golf balls due to the utilization of three metal tubes in which golf balls are placed. By pressing a lever, a golf ball is released from storage to the lower horizontal portion of the device which is rounded and cut out in front to allow for the placement of the ball on a tee from above and the removal of the device from the tee by lowering the device thereby placing the ball on the tee and sliding the device away from the tee. Conversely, the device can also be used for the pick up of a single ball and placement on a tee thereby reducing the necessity of a golfer to bend over and pick up a ball.
STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,052 to Marthaler et al. teaches a golf ball package, holder and dispenser with a cylindrical plastic molder base or sleeve, a replaceable plastic cover, and a deformable hole in the base side. The base is a one-piece molding and the aperture is formed with an elliptical shape in the molding without additional parts.
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,101 to Tiller teaches a golf ball dispensing and retrieval system that comprises a hollow tube for holding a plurality of golf balls. A stop mechanism is removably attachable to the bottom end of the tube for dispensing balls one at a time. The stop mechanism includes a biased lever which is pivotally attached to the outside of the tube movable between an open position and a closed position. To dispense golf balls from the tube, the lever may be moved by depressing a trigger end to an open position in which the detent is lifted away from the end of the tube to allow passage of the balls. Balls may be picked up from a surface by pressing the end of the tube and detent down onto a golf ball, which moves the detent out of the way to allow entry of a ball into the end of the tube. The lever is biased to be normally closed so that the balls remain inside the tube as desired. A stop pin is attached to the lever to prevent release of more than one ball at a time. A stand is also included to incline the tube so that as each ball is released, it rolls out of the tube for putting by the user thereof.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,154 to Slemp teaches a golf ball holder which is simplified so that no auxiliary springs, gates or the like are necessary to hold the balls in place, and so that simple manipulation of the ball makes insertion and ejection possible. The device uses the deformality of the material at the ball opening to detain the ball. An opening opposite the ball opening provides access so that the ball can be pushed from the holder.
FINALLY, YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,077 to Coles teaches a ball dispenser that is formed by a cylindrical housing or tube with a piston slidable therein and biased to a dispensing end of the tube. A cap is connected by a bridging member to the tube and projects over the axial center line of the cylinder and is formed with a concave spherical shape to receive the end of a ball contained within the dispenser. The dispenser is symmetrical on opposite sides of a central plane and an assess opening or mouth is provided adjacent to the cap through the side of the tube opposite the bridging section. The mouth is symmetrical on opposite sides of the plane and has its maximum opening at the central plane. The periphery of the mouth is defined by substantially V-shaped sides on each side of the plane with the bottom of the V shapes adjacent to the bridging section. The front edge or lip of the cap, i.e. at the plane overlying the mouth is closer to the cylindrical axis than the spherical radius of the ball to be dispensed so that the ball may be retained in the cap by the spring pressure on the piston and yet be easily withdrawn therefrom through the mouth or balls may be slid through the mouth with a rotating around the front lip of the cap.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for ball dispensers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.